Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-11
BEHOLD THIS RUIN.
IHZ VERY STRANGE HISTORY OF A
SKULL.
Curious Facts In the History Of the Life
Of Lord Altham-A DEBTORS
Story.

=
slOsucceodcd TO the title and its estates
~ the County Wexford, Ireland, in
l742 The story that the crumbling
,kull recalls is a pathetic romance Of
tle olden time
Among the passengers on board of
vessel that landed in Philadelphia in
the early summer Of 1923 was boy
who said his name was James Annesley.
He was thirteen years old, and said he
had been placed on the ship at Dublin
by his uncle, who bad deserted him.
he boys passage had not been paid,
and as his story was not believed by the
captain OF the vessel he was sold, after
Tie custom OF that day, to serve his
purchaser until his services had salts
fed the amount paid for him TO the
ships captain. Unfortunates Of that
Kind were called "redemptioners, "
end as the rich agricultural lands
in Lancaster and adjoining counties
wGe then being taken up by set
tiers and farm help was scarce in the
country, farmers owning such lands
were always on hand at the landing of
every vessel from abroad, with the hope
OF securing enc or more redemptiOners
90 labor Oh the farms they were making.
The boy knnesley was purchased by
al old German farmer who owned
tisct at the foot Of the Chickies Hills.
He was put 10 work at farm drudgery,
and shaved for the farmer for over ten
years. Once during this term OF ser
wee he attempted to escape from his
master. but was captured and locked in
the log building which was then the
county Jail, end stood in what is now
the centre OF the village OF Columbia.
The buildirc was still standing within
the recollection Of mhlcle-iged resi-
dents Of Columbia to-day.
The boy could have been kept pri-
soner ut the pleasure OF his master, but
the story is that he was released at the
fearful solicitation OF the farmers
daughter-a girl one year the junior OF
Anuessley. The young redemptioner
went back TO his drudgery on the farm
and never attempted to escape from it
again. AS he grew to manhood he de-
yclopcd a wild disposition, and the
farmers daughter, between whom and
the Irish lad strong affection
had grown, was the only person
Vlo could hold him in check. The
cnrs father objected to the intimacy
between hunCsley and his daughter,
eud At the end of ten years tried to dis
MISS the youth from his service and
drive him away from the ncighborhoOd
hut The young man refused to 60. lie
said he intended 10 marry The farmers
daughter as soon as he could go back
t5 ireland and recover the rights Of
Nlich he had been robbed. The old
Conan did not believe the stories An
ncslev was il the habit OF telling about
bis lust claim to wealth and rank in his
native land, but the girl had the great
eat faith in them:
In the summer OF 1910 two Irish in
migrants who had landed in Philadel-
phla and were on their way afoOt to q
settlement on the Susquehanna, IN
what is now Dauphin county, while
passing 10y the old Germans farm
stopped to ask for a drink OF water.
Young Anneslsy happened to be the
person OF whom they made the request.
Noticing that the men were Irishmen
he asked them from what part
Of Ireland they came. He was
told that they were natives OF
County Wexford, and that they had
been tenants OF Lord Altham, whose
crueIties had forced them and others
to leave ireland and come to America.
ADncslcy surprised the two lrlshmen,
who were brothers, named john and
William Brody, by telling them that
lie was James Anneslev, the real Lord
Altman, and that at his fathers death
IN 1928 he bad been induced by his
Cncle Richard to leave his school in
Dublin ana 90 with him aboard a vessel
which bad sailed with him 10 America.
The Irishmen told him that the uncle
was in possession OF the title and
estates, he having proved the death of
bis nephew, James, and being the next
of kin.
Arthur, Lord Altman, the father OF
James, had married a natural daughter
If the Earl of Buckingham in LIZA.
Soon after the birth OF her son, in
j7l5. she and her husband separated.
Lord Altman kept the child and formed
a HaisoH with a Young Irish woman by
the name Of Gregory. She succeeded
in creating in his heart a strong dislike
for the boy James, and the latter was
placed in charge Of n school-teacher IN
Dublin. The boy did not know who
his father was until the lattsrs death,
when his Dublin guardian told him.
His uncle took him from the guardian
under pretence of conducting him to
Wexford. but sent him adrift TO Ameri-
ca instead, ana came into the title and
property.
The two Brodys were satisfied be-
vond doubt that the old German farm
hand was the real Lord Altman, and
volunteered to go back with him to
Ireland AID help him to his rights.
James Annesley went to Philadelphia,
ard succeeded in interesting Robert
Ellis. leading lawyer of that day, in
his case. Ellis provided the young
man with passage and letters to Adj
miral Vernon, of the British navy,
who was then stationed at the West
Indies, and he forwarded Anpes-
ley to England, with strong re-
Communications to influential par
ties. The Brodys returned to Ireland
and put themselves at the command OF
the claimant. Before he had proceed
ings under way to recover his estates
and title from his uncle Richard
Annesley killed man in brawl IN
London. He was arrested and indicted
for murder. His uncle used money
without stint to secure the young mans
conviction, but be was acquitted, 1t
having been shown that he killed the
man in self-defence. The proceedings
against his uncle followed and resulted
in the complete success OF the claim
ants suit in November, 1743.
A few months after James Annessley
left Philadelphia TO press his claim as
| Lord Altman the old Germans daugh-
ter gave birth to child. Its paternity
was never in doubt, and on receipt Of a
letter from the girl begging him to re-
turn and marry her theclaimant OF the
Altman estates and title replied and re-
newed his promise to return to Amerl-
ca MT the very earliest moment practl-
| ool,lo ond fulfil hrs vows He wrote 10